ROTECT@REDIFFMAIL.

COM
Track Your Membership
Enter your me
CRIMINAL LIABILITY

Indian Penal Code and Medical Negligence
Indian Penal Code, 1860 sections 52, 80, 81, 83, 88, 90, 91, 92 304-A, 33 and
338 contain t!e la" o# medical mal$ra%is in India&
A P!ysician can 'e c!ar(ed "it! criminal ne(li(ence "!en a $atient dies #rom
t!e e##ects o# anest!esia durin(, an o$eration or ot!er )ind o# treatment, i# it can
'e $ro*ed t!at t!e deat! "as t!e result i# malicious intention, or (ross
ne(li(ence& +e#ore t!e administration o# anest!esia or $er#ormance o# an
o$eration, t!e medical man is e%$ected to #ollo" t!e acce$ted $recautions&
In suc! cases, t!e $!ysician s!ould 'e a'le to $ro*e t!at !e used reasona'le
and ordinary care in t!e treatment o# !is $atient to t!e 'est o# !is ,ud(ment& -e
is, !o"e*er, not lia'le #or an error ,ud(ment& .!e la" e%$ects a duly /uali#ied
$!ysician to use t!at de(ree o# s)ill and care "!ic! an a*era(e man o# !is
/uali#ications ou(!t to !a*e, and does not e%$ect !im to 'rin( t!e !i(!est
$ossi'le de(ree o# s)ill in t!e treatment o# !is $atients, or to 'e a'le to (uarantee
cures&
It !as lon( 'een reco(ni0ed t!at criminal lia'ility o# a $!ysician may result #rom a
!i(! de(ree o# ne(li(ent conduct& 1!at t!e la" calls criminal ne(li(ence is
lar(ely a matter o# de(ree2 it is inca$a'le o# a $recise de#inition& .o $ro*e "!et!er
or not it e%ists is li)e c!asin( a mira(e& It re/uires t!at any o# t!e #ollo"in( to 'e
esta'lis!ed in a case o# criminal medical ne(li(ence&
34ross 5ac) o# com$etency or (ross inattention, or "anton indi##erences to t!e
$atient6s sa#ety, "!ic! may arise #rom (ross i(norance o# t!e science o# medicine
and sur(ery or t!rou(! (ross ne(li(ence, eit!er in t!e a$$lication and selection
o# remedies, lac) o# $ro$er s)ill in t!e use o# instruments and #ailure to (i*e
$ro$er attention to t!e $atient&7 8-am$ton * 9tate2 9tate * 5ester:
In ;& * +ateman 81925:, <r& +ateman "as $rosecuted #or manslau(!ter and t!e
c!ar(es o# ne(li(ence made a(ainst !im "ere=
i: Causin( t!e internal ru$tures in $er#ormin( t!e o$erations o# >*ersion62
ii: ;emo*in( $art o# t!e uterus alon( "it! t!e $lacenta2
iii: <elay in sendin( t!e $atient to t!e in#irmary&
.!e trial court con*icted !im& +ut t!e Court o# A$$eal !eld= 3 ?&& in order to
esta'lis! criminal lia'ility, t!e #acts must 'e suc! t!at, ?& t!e ne(li(ence o# t!e
accused "ent 'eyond a mere matter o# com$ensation 'et"een su',ects and
s!ould suc! disre(ard #or t!e li#e and sa#ety o# ot!ers as to amount to a crime
a(ainst t!e state and conduct $unis!ment&7
1!en a @I; 8@irst In#ormation ;e$ort: is #iled a(ainst a doctor #or t!e deat! o# a
$atient "!o "as under !is treatment, under t!is Indian Penal Code 9ection 304-
A t!e doctor can 'e arrested& A doctor c!ar(ed under t!is section can o'tain 'ail
and i# $ro*ed (uilty, t!e doctor can 'e $unis!ed "it! a ma%imum o# t"o years
im$risonment or #ine or 'ot!& +ut, i# t!e $atient is ali*e, t!e doctor is c!ar(ed
under t!e Indian Penal Code 9ection 33 and 338&
.!e Indian Courts !a*e 'een *ery care#ul not to !old /uali#ied P!ysicians
criminally 8instances o# /uac)s #or criminal ne(li(ence are t!ere: lia'le #or
$atients6 deat!s t!at are t!e result o# a mere mista)e o# ,ud(ment in t!e selection
and a$$lication o# remedies and "!en t!e deat! resulted merely #rom an error o#
,ud(ment or an inad*ertent deat!&
Criminal lia'ility #or <octors A Bedical Esta'lis!ments is a (ray area& Criminal
la" is a$$lica'le to all indi*iduals and <octors A Bedical Esta'lis!ments are no
e%ce$tion to it& As #ar as Bedical $ractice is concerned, $atients or relati*es
usually do not a$$roac! t!e $olice& +ut no"-a-days, t!e scenario is also
c!an(in(& In last #e" decades as <octor and $atients relations!i$ !as
deteriorated, t!e com$laints a(ainst t!e <octors A Bedical Esta'lis!ments !a*e
increased many #old& Accordin( to t!e $ro*isions o# Indian Penal Code 1860
8IPC:, any act or commission or omission is not a crime, unless it is
accom$anied 'y a (uilty mind& .!e Acts are not $unis!a'le only 'ecause it
led to some misc!ie*ous results unless associated "it! intention or mental
attitude o# t!e $ersons& Bost o# t!e time, doctors treatment is in (ood #ait!, "it!
t!e consent o# t!e $atient and !ence most o# t!e $ro*isions o# IPC are not
a$$lica'le to t!e <octors A Bedical Esta'lis!ments unless or until t!ere is
ras!ness or (ross ne(li(ence& .!e #ollo"in( sections o# IPC are related to
medical $ro#essions=
Section - 52 = <escri'es 34ood @ait!7
Section - 80 = Accident in doin( la"#ul Act
Section - 88 = Act not intended to cause deat!, one 'y consent
in (ood #ait! #or $erson6s 'ene#it&
Section - 90 = ;elated to consent
Section - 176 = @ailure to in#orm $olice "!ene*er essential
Section - 269-271 = ;elated to s$read o# in#ectious disease and
diso'edience o# /uarantine rules
Section - 272-273 = ;elated to adulteration o# #oods and drin)s
Section - 274-276 = ;elated to adulteration o# <ru(s
Section - 304 304 A = <eals "it! deat! caused 'y a ne(li(ent Act&
Section - 306 - 309 = Area related "it! a'etment o# suicide
Section - 312 - 314 = ;elated to causin( miscarria(e, a'ortion and
!idin( #acts
Section - 315 - 316 = <eals "it! act to $re*ent c!ild 'ein( 'orn ali*e or
to cause it to die a#ter 'irt!
Section - 319 322 = Area related to causin( !urt, (rie*ous !urt, loss
o# *ision, loss o# !earin( or dis#i(urement&
Section - 336 - 338 = <eals "it! causin( !urt 'y ras! or ne(li(ent Act
Section - 340-342 = Area related to "ron(#ul con#inement
Section - 491 = is related to 'reac! o# contract
Section - 499 = is related to de#amation&
9ection 304 C 304-A=
.!ere is lot o# discre$ancy "!ile a$$lyin( t!ese sections in cases o#
$ro#essional ne(li(ence 'y <octors& Bost o# t!e time, t!e $olice aut!orities
re(ister t!e case o# $ro#essional ne(li(ence under 9ection 304 o# IPC&
Accordin( to t!is 9ection, t!e o##ence is non-'ail a'le& .!is causes lot o#
!ards!i$, 'ad re$utation and mental a(ony to t!e <octors& In #act, t!e $olice
s!ould re(ister t!e cases o# deat! due to medical ne(li(ence Dnder 9ection
304 E A o# IPC in "!ic! t!e o##ence is 'aila'le and t!e <octors can 'e released
on 'ail& .!e ,ud(ment !as 'een $assed 'y +om'ay -i(! Court in criminal
re*ision a$$lication no& 282 o# 1996 8<r& Brs& Bridula 9 <es!$ande Fs 9tate o#
Ba!aras!tra: dated 28-11-1998& .!e 'asic di##erence is t!at in 9ection 304,
t!ere is intentional act o# ne(li(ence "!ile in 304 E A, t!e Act is ne*er done "it!
t!e intention to cause deat!&
Section 319-322 of IPC = related to causin( !urt or (rie*ous !urt,
@or e%am$le, loss o# lim's, loss o# *ision, loss o# !earin( or dis#i(urement,
etc&
Section 336 338 = related "it! (rie*ous !urt 'y ras! ne(li(ence Act,
@or e%am$le, a& "!ile (i*in( IF #luids, su$$ose t!ere is lea)a(e o# #luid in
surroundin( tissues resultin( in s$asm o# *essels and su'se/uent necrosis o#
lim's&
'& a sur(ical $rocedure is done on eye, lim's, #ace etc&, "it!out
ade/uate ase$tic $recautions resultin( in local in#ections& .!is may lead to loss
o# eyes, lim' or dis#i(urement, etc&
1& An un/uali#ied doctor $er#ormin( sur(ical $rocedure "!ic! results in
$ermanent dama(e to eyes, lim's, !earin(, etc&,

Section 340 342 of IPC = related "it! "ron(#ul con#inement&

Accordin( to t!is section a $atient can not 'e detained on t!e (rounds o# non-
$ayment o# !os$ital c!ar(es& .!is may constitute t!e o##ence o# "ron(#ul
con#inement under 9ection 340-342 o# IPC& <octor can ta)e ad*ance o# #ee
#rom $atient 'e#ore startin( treatment& 5i)e"ise, i# a Police G##icer is )ee$in( t!e
<octor in detention, in cases o# 'aila'le o##ences, !e is lia'le #or t!e o##ence o#
"ron(#ul con#inement under t!is section o# IPC&

IMP!"AN" #$%INI"INS % C!IM$ & %%$NC$=

C'i(e o' offence means E Any act or omission or commission "!ic! is contrary
to any la" or statute #or t!e time-'ein( in #orce&

S)((on* is t!e $rocess o# Court as)in( t!e o$$osite $arty to a$$ear and
ans"er t!e alle(ations $re#erred 'y t!e $arty "!o !as 'rou(!t action&

+a''ant means an order issued 'y t!e Court, Ba(istrate or a Com$etent
Aut!ority directin( a Police G##icer to ma)e arrest, sei0e or searc! or to do any
ot!er "or) incidental to administration o# ,ustice&

A +a''ant Ca*e is related to an o##ence $unis!a'le "it! deat!, li#e
im$risonment or im$risonment o# more t!an t"o years&
$,a(-le, i# a <octor !el$s a $re(nant "oman in (ettin( rid o# t!e c!ild or
cause its deat! a#ter its 'irt!&
Cases ot!er t!an "arrant cases are summons cases&
$,a(-le , i# a <octor acts ne(li(ently 'y usin( in#ected syrin(e or instrument
resultin( in an in#ection to an unin#ected $atient e%em$li#ies a summon case&

Cogni.a/le offence* are t!ose in "!ic! a Police G##icer may arrest "it!out
"arrant accordin( to 9c!edule I o# Criminal Procedure Code 8Cr&P&C:&

Non-cogni.a/le offence* are t!ose in "!ic! a Police G##icer can6t arrest
"it!out a "arrant&
0aila/le ffence are t!ose in "!ic! 'ail can 'e (ranted 'y any 5a" #or t!e
time 'ein( in #orce& In suc! case, 'ail is matter o# ri(!t& .!e Court can not
re#use 'ail and t!e $olice !as no ri(!t to )ee$ a $erson in custody& I# any Police
G##icer $uts a $erson in detention in suc! cases, !e is lia'le #or t!e o##ence o#
"ron(#ul con#inement Dnder 9ection 340 E 342 o# Indian Penal Code&
Non-0aila/le ffence are o##ences ot!er t!an t!e 'aila'le o##ence in "!ic!
'ail cannot 'e (ranted& .!ese are t!e serious o##ences in "!ic! a $erson may
'e con*icted and im$risoned #or terms e%tendin( more t!an 10 years&
P'e*)(-tion of innocence = 5a" $resumes t!at a $erson is innocent till !is
(uilt is $ro*ed& .!e onus o# $roo# is on $rosecution&
Mi*ta1e of 2a3 = 3I(norentia ,uris non e%cusat7 means i(norance o# 5a" or
mista)e o# 5a" 8e%istence o# mista)en understandin(: is not e%cusa'le&
Erroneous or "ron( conclusion o# 5a" is not a *alid de#ense&
Mi*ta1e of fact E is a situation "!ere a $erson not intendin( to do unla"#ul act,
does so 'ecause o# "ron( conclusion or understandin( o# #act& .!e (uilty mind
"as ne*er t!ere "!ile doin( t!e Act& .!e $erson may not 'e !eld res$onsi'le
in suc! cases&
!e* 4)dicata = .!is doctrine o# 5a" means 3t!e t!in(s !a*e 'een decided7&
Accordin( to $rinci$le o# 5a", once t!e case is com$leted 'et"een t"o $arties,
i# can not 'e tried a(ain 'et"een t!e same $arties& 9u$$ose a $atient sues a
!os$ital #or any ne(li(ence, dama(es or mal$ractice and t!e t!in(s are
decided, !e can not su'se/uently sue t!e doctor a(ain se$arately #or t!e same
ne(li(ence&
!e* I-*a 2o5)ito' is a situation o# (ross ne(li(ence or ras!ness& .!e t!ins are
so o'*ious t!at t!ey 3s$ea) #or t!emsel*es7& Bost o# t!e time t!ere is no need
#or any $roo# o# ne(li(ence in suc! cases&
@or e%am$le, a #orei(n $articles 8cotton, sur(ical 'lade, etc&: #ound in t!e
stomac! o# a $atient immediately a#ter t!e sur(ical $rocedure !as 'een done&
.!ere is no need o# any $roo# o# ne(li(ence in t!is case&
Design, Dee!ope", #os$e" % Main$aine" b& 'ebcommerce(I) *$. L$".
Cop&righ$ + ,--. E/per$s Doc$ors 0hie!" Consu!$an$s L$". A!! Righ$s Resere".